Tairiku: Land of Souls
by DragonKing0117
Summary: Basically an Alternate Universe setting featuring crossovers from all over: an AU x-over Battle Royale! In Tairiku, an ancient evil is ressurecting and several heros become Soul Knights, those who can partner with spirits, and banding together to stop it. This AU is based on the world of Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance. Rated M for future content.
1. Prologue

**Hello, this is DragonKing0117 once again! This time I'm doing my first ever Alternate Universe Crossover fanfic. As for the stories that will be crossing over, I'd have to say, for now, they include characters from series such as Rosario + Vampire (manga), Highschool DxD (light novel), Legend of Zelda (game), and many more (books, cartoons, misc, etc.)! As you can see, this will most likely be a fanfic free for all, so please review this story so I can make it better. ~ DragonKing0117**

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**Note: All respective characters and story elements belong to their respective authors and creators.**

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**Tairiku: Land of Souls ~ Prologue**

Tairiku*****, the land of souls.

To the people living there, it is a fantastical place to live in. To everyone else..., well, no one knew if there really _was_ anyone else. This was due to the nature of Engo*****, the great barrier that surrounded the entire continent, which kept whatever might be outside out and those inside, in. However, to them it was not like a prison, seeing as life continued to stay peaceful as is. That is, it was peaceful until the day everything changed. That day, now known as Ender's Day, was the last day of the new calendar year, Year Zero.

On that day, an evil existence shattered the world of Tairiku, changing it along with the new calendar and even their way of life. In the week that followed, destruction so terrible ensued across the land, destroying everything yet leaving something new in its place. On the last day of that long and hard week, a hero emerged. The hero had, for the first time, joined forces with one of the ancient spirits that resided across the continent and, together, the two were able to defeat the evil.

From that day, peace resumed. However, along with it came the ability to coöperate with the ancient spirits. Soon schools for training humans who had the unique ability to commune with the spirits were created. With them came a new term: Soul Knight. Those who bore the name became valued for their existence, which was to help out those in need and keep the land peaceful, which the Knights have kept up to this day.

However, peace lasts for so long, and every couple hundred years, small wars would break out, making the Soul Knights fight for existence. Eventually, this was remedied by the creation of the Soul Tournament. One of the _Ancestors_, a spirit living for at least 10,000 years, came up with this solution, around the year 2600. Once again, peace was realized.

However, peace lasts for so long and once again, in the last days of Year 2999, chaos returns once again...

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**1. Tairiku = Continent**

**2. Engo = Barrier**

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**And I'm back! Sometimes life likes to pick on us and things get hectic, but for now, it should be over. The completely updated chapters for ACR and DWA will be coming out soon, so please wait a little longer and try to review my fanfics. Remember, I can't get better if I don't know what I'm doing wrong! ~ DragonKing0117**


	2. Chapter 1: The Priest's Assistant

******Note: All respective characters and story elements belong to their respective authors and creators. (Rosario+Vampire, Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance)**

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**Chapter 1: The Priest's Assistant**

It was a beautiful, winter day outside. The empty tree branches, covered in snow, rustled in the breeze, the snowbirds chirped lovely songs, and the nature spirits were dancing around the piles of snow as if trying to make a snow man. However, in the Spirit Church***** that lay in the middle of this scenery, it's now sole occupant could not appreciate any of this. In there, a boy of around seventeen years of age, was filing paperwork. He was an average person to say the least. Messy black hair, brown eyes, and a mild athletic build made him up. His name was Tsukune Aono.

"Ah... it's finally over. That ridiculous amount of paperwork..."

Tsukune sighed in relief as he finally finished the last of the Church's paperwork. Ruffling his messy black hair, Tsukune went to work filling a box with the last of the paperwork before picking it up and stacking it on top of the pyramid of boxes in the corner of the room.

"And that makes all 3,692 papers documented, sorted, and stored away. Congratulations son. The fact that you finished this in less than 24 hours is commendable." stated a voice behind Tsukune.

Tsukune turned around and the noted the person facing him. He also had an average build, like Tsukune, but with a more matured tone to it. One could tell the two were related just by looking at their faces. His voice however, shook with the authority he represented. His name was Koji Aono.

"Father..." Tsukune did a slight bow towards Koji. Here at the Spirit Church of Seinaru*****, Koji was the head priest, and a reasonably strong Soul Knight as well. With his spirit, Pegasus, there was no one else who could match their strength in the entire region he governed... unlike his average son.

"No need to be so formal Tsu-boy!" Koji chuckled as he messed up his son's already messy hair.

"Father! What have I told you about calling me that!" Tsukune, who had just escaped out of his father's reach, exclaimed. The daggers he glared at his father were enough to make his father take a step back at the sudden change of mood.

"Hey, hey. Sorry Tsukune calm down for a bit." Koji said in mock fear. Then he his face became serious. Seeing the change in his father's face, Tsukune suddenly became cautious.

"Tsukune, I have a job for you." Koji declared.

_"That's weird, why am I getting nervous. I get jobs all the time." _Tsukune thought before saying aloud, "What kind of job is it?"

"I need you to go to the capital of Seichi*****, Eiyū*****, for your official Priest inauguration."

Tsukune's eyes widened.

"O-official priest inauguration! I can't do that! I-I'm not good enough yet to become an official priest! I can't even contract with a spirit!" Tsukune stammered out. This was true. Despite being the child of two powerful Soul Knight, Tsukune always failed to contract a spirit. His father would always push it off saying, _"It just wasn't the right one for you."_

"Tsukune," Koji said, his voice becoming stern. "It is true that you have no contracted spirit, but you are seventeen now. You will be eighteen as of next year. The time for you to become a priest is now, or else you never will. Of course, if you don't want to be a priest, then you just have to make a capable argument with the Spirit Council*****."

"But I don't know how to be anything but a priest!"

"Then go to the inauguration and do your best, son." With that, Koji nodded his head and left the room.

Tsukune sat down in his chair, leaning back with his arms behind his head.

"Eiyū, huh. It seems my time for adventure has come..."

* * *

Tsukune stood facing the place he had come to call home for his entire life. The Spirit Church in the distance and the village just in front of it. Tsukune wore a leather vest over a white shirt and leather-covered pants. Painted on the back of his vest was a red cross. His makeshift wooden cross hung around his neck. He carried the supplies he'd need for the next three days on his back. The trip to Eiyū from Seinaru village was three days walking, roughly one-and-a-half days on horseback. However, he did not have a horse so he was walking.

Tsukune turned his back to the village he had called home. He had already said his goodbyes. Now, it was time to move on.

Three hours later, Tsukune was lost.

"_Ah... I should have known it would be hopeless to try to double back to the path..._"

About two hours earlier, Tsukune spotted a uniquely black colored rose and, in trying to get to it for his mother who loved rare flowers, lost sight of the dirt road he was travelling on. Now Tsukune knelt on all fours with a depressed aura emanating from him, black rose in hand. Instantly the aura disappeared and Tsukune was back on his feet.

"_No time to be depressed now! If I got lost here, mother would never find this flower. I'll try it again!_" With that encouraging thought, Tsukune returned to his search for the dirt road.

Searching for a bout five minutes, a voice suddenly called out to Tsukune.

"Hey kid! What's that ya got in your hand?"

Turning around, Tsukune spotted a boy around his age wearing a brown shirt and pants with his back against a tree. He had spiky hair, large eyes, and _pointed ears_.

"Just a black rose, why?" Tsukune answered.

"'Just a black rose?' he says! Ke-ke-ke, it seems like this guy here has no idea what it is!" A high-pitched voice, again behind Tsukune called out.

This time, the boy wore black with a black bandanna tied around his head. His bright yellow eyes glowed in the forest gloom. He too had pointed ears.

_"This is bad..."_ Thought Tsukune._ "Those pointed ears... are they humanoid spirits? I__f that's so, then..." _Tsukune glanced at the black rose, scrambling his brains on what to do. He finally came to one conclusion.

_"I'll stall for time, distract them, and escape!"_

"So..." Tsukune started, plotting his escape while trying to ask his honest question. "What _is_ this black flower anyway?"

The Ryōshi***** with spiky hair stepped forward to answer.

"What you're holding is the rare and coveted black Spirit Rose!" he exclaimed proudly.

"So it's a BS flower huh? Now why would you want something like that?" Tsukune asked with eyes half closed.

"It's not bull, it's black! Plus there's a Spirit too!"

"Hey, hey, Moroha. Don't let the kid get a rise out of you." said the guy with the black bandanna. Then he faced Tsukune and continued.

"Anyway, the black Spirit Rose is a special flower. It's said that, if used properly, it can bring even deceased _spirits_ back to life, let alone humans. It's also great when trying to awaken sealed spirits."

"Ah that is special. Seems like I hit the jackpot." muttered Tsukune as he stopped moving for a bit. While Moroha was talking with the black bandanna guy, Tsukune managed to move a couple of inches.

"That's why," continued the Ryōshi. "You should hand over the flower and stop with the pointless escape."

_"Crap, he saw me." _Thought Tsukune. Tsukune shrugged his shoulders before crouching down. He tucked the rose into his vest pocket and spread his hands on the ground.

"Hey, Akudama*****! You think this guy's gonna start begging?" asked Moroha.

"Hey, hey, it looks like it, Moroha." stated Akudama.

Tsukune smirked at their conversation and grabbed a handful of dirt in both hands.

"Heh... you're both wrong!" With that, Tsukune stood up and, managing to hit both Ryōshi in the face with the dirt, sprinted off into the forest.

"Arrgh!"

"Dammit!"

Their curses could be heard far behind him, but Tsukune continued running. As trees blended together, Tsukune saw it, a cave opening that blended magnificently with the surrounding foliage. Diving in, Tsukune scrambled inside as far as he could before...

_Ru~uuumble_

...The cave floor collapsed! Head over heels, Tsukune tumbled into the opening off a wide cavern. In the center there was an a faint blue light.

_"W-what's that?"_

Tsukune stood up shakily, and started moving towards the light. As he got closer he heard shouts behind him.

"Holy shit! He found the cave!"

"Akudama, if we don't hurry and get the kid before he reaches _it_, our asses are as good as gone!"

Hearing this, Tsukune moved faster and saw...

_"A...chain and lock?"_

On a glowing pedestal, lay a chain and lock. All over the links of the chain was a small cross. Looking at it, Tsukune figured it had to be a sealing artifact. This one was also of high degree as the only simple looking seals in existence contained dangerous and high level spirits. This was due to the fact that it was easier to hide their existence as plain and ordinary than as elaborate and expensive.

_"This...is this why they wanted the rose?" _

Looking at it now, the pitch-black rose was glowing slightly. Tsukune took the glowing flower out of his pocket and held it up to the chain and lock. It glowed even brighter than before.

_Swish~Swish_

"Sorry kid. I can't have you coming into contact with that seal now can I?"

Tsukune saw red as his legs buckled and he fell face first on the floor. Moroha stooped down and picked up the flower in Tsukune's hand with his right. A blade seemingly made of flesh had replaced his left hand.

_"Blade-hands? I guess he really is a spirit..."_

"Shit. He got blood on the flower Akudama! What do we do if it messes up the ritual?" Moroha shouted back to his partner.

_"Blood?"_ Tsukune looked up at his outstretched hand. Blood covered his hand. His blood. _"I'm bleeding, huh...Does this mean he cut me from behind? Then, am I going to die here? There's still so much stuff I have yet to do..."__  
_

"We go ahead with the already planned schedule. It's not like this guy is a spirit contractor or anything. Besides, he didn't even know about spirit roses, nothing will happen if he gets blood on it..."

The voices of the two Ryōshi started to grow faint. To Tsukune the world started growing fuzzy.

_"Ah... I'm dying now, right? It's a lot more peaceful than I thought. My only regret is..."_

**_"You don't have to regret!" _**A powerful voice echoed through Tsukune's mind and the world went white.

* * *

_"Where...am I?" _Tsukune looked around and saw only white. He looked down and saw himself dressed in a white robe. Ahead of him a black flame floated in front of him.

_**"Take the flame, child..."**_The voice from before echoed.

Tsukune looked at the flame in front of him. It was small, but dense, as if it had more power than its appearance suggested. Tsukune casually called out the questions that were on his mind.

_"Who are you? What happens when I take this flame? Am I dead?"_

**_"To answer your question you are not dead. You soon will be if you do not take that flame, though."_**

_"What happens when I take that flame anyway?"_

**_"You will receive a small part of my power."_**

_"What, so I came defend myself against those Ryōshi?"_

_**"In essence, yes."**  
_

_"Before I take this flame, you still haven't told me who you are!"_

**_"Right now, all you need to know is that I am a spirit. The rest can be determined later if you choose to make a contract."_**

_"But I've never made a contract before. I've always failed every time I tried."_

**_"Trust me. You won't fail now."_**

Tsukune hesitated, looking away. Then, he looked back, a new light in his eyes.

_"Fine then. Mr. Spirit, I will accept your offer!"_

With that, Tsukune grabbed the flame in front of him and pulled it to his chest. The flame spread and covered the once white robe in pitch-black flames...

* * *

"Okay Akudama. We got the Holy Lock, now let's get out of here."

"..."

Moroha turned around to see his partner shaking in...

"Fear? What's got you so rattled Dama?"

Then Moroha saw him. The boy he had cut down earlier was now covered in an ominous pitch-black smoke and was slowly getting up to his feet.

"Ke-ke-ke. It seems like the boy managed to contract with him, after all." chuckled Akudama.

"Shit! We gotta kill this guy fast before this gets any worse!"

"Moroha!" Akudama's voice echoed through the cave.

"Get out of here, regroup, and report to the boss. I'll hold him off." The seriousness in his eyes told Moroha all he needed to know.

"Got it."

Moroha, nodding his head ran forward, jumped over Tsukune's head and sprinted off to the exit. Tsukune, meanwhile finally finished rising and glared at where Moroha left. Then he turned back towards Akudama. The pupils of his eyes had contracted into slits and the irises a brilliant shade of crimson-red. His hair had brightened to a bloody brown. Tsukune stood tall as the miasma snaked around him.

"Ke-ke-ke! I don't feel like dying now so," Akudama pointed at Tsukune. "I'll have you un-contract with that spirit!"

* * *

"-aged to contract with him, after all."

_"Uh... What...happened?" _Tsukune thought.

**_"You've been revived with my power. Try standing up."_**The spirit answered him.

On unsteady legs Tsukune started to rise.

"-regroup, and report to the boss. I'll hold him off." Akudama's voice could be faintly heard.

_"So, is it time to fight?"_

**_"Yes. Don't worry I'll help you through the first fight. After that, you will need to learn how to fight on your own."_**

_"Will you teach me?"_

**_"That depends. First get the Holy Lock back and make a contract."_**

_"Got it."_

At that time Moroha jumped over Tsukune and sprinted towards the exit.

_"Crap! He's got the Holy Lock!"_

**_"Don't focus on that now! First we take out that guy first. Understand?"_**

_"Understood."_

"Ke-ke-ke! I don't feel like dying now so," Akudama pointed at Tsukune. "I'll have you un-contract with that spirit!"

**_"Let's go!"_**

"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"

"Kuraaaaaaaaah!"

Tsukune and Akudama screamed while charging at each other. Both fists hit each other and a shock-wave of air exploded around them. Both jumped back and disappeared in a cloud of dust as both attacked each other at high speeds. A few more shock waves sounded as their fists collided in various places before both settled with the center of the cave. Jumping back at each other, the two went into a fist fight.

Akudama was the first to score a hit, punching Tsukune in the gut, while dodging Tsukune's right thrust. Dodging the next fist, Tsukune responded with a punch to the Ryōshi's face. The Ryōshi countered by throwing a kick into Tsukune's side making him stumble. Akudama, taking advantage of Tsukune's opening, jumped at Tsukune and continued into a combo of punches and kicks on him before throwing him to the ground. Tsukune hit the ground and rolled out-of-the-way to avoid the Ryōshi's kick. Quickly jumping up, Tsukune attacked Akudama again. The spirit surprised at first, quickly dodged the punches and kicks, before starting to deflect them and retaliate with his own. Soon, Tsukune was being pushed back by the Ryōshi but, as time passed and with the spirit helping, Tsukune began dodging less and deflecting and retaliating more.

_**"Dodge right and retaliate!"**_The spirit continued sending orders all the while.

Tsukune moved to the right dodging a blow to the face and sent a punch towards Akudama's face, the fist connecting to his nose.

"Argh!" The Ryōshi stumbled back a step before jumping back. Tsukune jumped back as well.

"Hmph! I'll admit you're good boy, but that's most likely due to the spirit's power. However," Akudama wiped some blood from his mouth. "I haven't even shown you my true form."

"True form?" Tsukune asked, puzzled.

"Of course! I am a spirit ya know!"

With that Akudama spread his arms wide and brought them down in a flexing place.

"Now! I'll show you the power of the Outcast*****!"

Bik Bik Bik Bik

Akudama's arms began to transform in front of Tsukune. His right fist became a spike and a long pole extended from his elbow. Six more spikes grew out of his back.

"Ke-ke-ke! Let me give you a lesson about us Outcast, little boy! Each and every one of us have a unique ability! That means no matter what you do, if you can't adapt, you'll never win against us! Ke-ke-ke-ka-ka-ka!"

With that, Akudama pulled his arm back and thrust it forward. The pole shot into his elbow and the spike that was his hand launched out and speared Tsukune in the leg.

"Guh!"

"Time for Round 2!"

Akudama grabbed one of the pole from his back and pulled. He pulled out another spear, which in turn was loaded into his arm.

"Ka-ka-ka! Fire!"

The second spear launched into Tsukune's other leg causing Tsukune to fall on the ground.

_"Shit! Hey Spirit! How do we get out of this one?"_ Tsukune mentally spat out.

The answer was immediate.

_**"I'm taking over."**_

_"Huh?"_

* * *

Akudama slowly walked toward Tsukune.

"Ke-ke-ke! Well, I'll congratulate you kid. Not even Moroha could make me transform. Oh well. Time for you to hand that spirit over and die!"

Akudama launched a spear at Tsukune's head.

Crack! Crack!

The spear, which was stopped in midair in front of Akudama, shattered into dust. Akudama looked down.

"Oh shi-"

A shadowy fist punched into the Ryōshi's face, launching him into a wall.

**"It seems you were right about something Akudama."**

"Huh?"

In the process of getting up, Akudama paused at the sound of the now power enriched voice. Looking up, a shadowy entity covered in darkness walked slowly towards him. It's slit, crimson eyes staring him down made him shudder. Looking past it, the remains of the shattered spears were floating away.

**"We _will_ lose if we don't adapt. However, to assume you could kill us when we have these powers of Darkness," **The entity raised its arms and the miasma started to condense around its left hand into a sphere. **"You are terribly mistaken."**

The entity held up its hand and the power emitted from the sphere began to increase. Akudama fell to his hands and knees due to the pressure alone and began to panic.

"H-hey! You do know what will happen if you go through with this right? If we don't get that Holy Lock terrible things will happen to you!"

**"Terrible things will happen anyway. That is a law of nature. You just have to face it down with all you've got."**

The entity pointed its palm at Akudama...

**"Goodbye, Akudama."**

...and fired.

**"****Kuroi keshigomu**.*"

The sphere expanded and rushed towards the unfortunate Ryōshi.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaagh!"

Akudama screamed as the blast enveloped his body and was blasted into the wall once again. A resounding 'Boom!' echoed throughout the cave as smoke covered the area. The darkness around the entity separated from the body, leaving only Tsukune in its place. Tsukune collapsed to his hands and knees as the smoke finally cleared. There was nothing left except for a giant hole from where the blast hit the wall. The darkness returned and swirled in front of Tsukune, once again condensing into a sphere.

"So, Mr. Spirit, is it over?" Tsukune finally spoke.

**"If you are referring to the previous battle, then yes." **Was the answer.

"Good. Now how are we going to find Moroha?"

**"We follow his scent. It's time you learned how to track."**

With this Tsukune sighed.

"What are you, a bloodhound? Well, let's go."

Tsukune stood up and repacked his slightly shredded belongings. The darkness sphere circled around Tsukune's head.

**"Yes, let's go."**

* * *

"Haa-haa..."

Moroha panted as he raced towards the camp. He had transformed his hands back into blades and was currently slicing apart anything that got in his was as he ran. He was angry, and the trail of devastation in his wake was the proof.

"Shit..."

DOO~OON

Moroha felt an increase in pressure behind him, momentarily stopping him. Another pressure, this one different, also appeared.

"This pressure is..."

He glanced at the Holy Lock in his hands while a similar pressure was being emitted from it. Suddenly, the first pressure disappeared.

"Shit. Akudama must have..."

Moroha shook his head to stop himself from going back to help Akudama. His teeth gritted, he continued on to the camp, cursing himself for not being able to help his friend.

* * *

"..."

**"..."**

Tsukune and the spirit stared in silence at the trail of destruction that lay before them.

"Well, this makes tracking him easier. Kinda makes me wish you didn't teach me all those tracking skills."

For the past 10 minutes, the spirit had sent information on how to track down and sense another's presence others directly to Tsukune's brain. While the spirit still insisted that it was useful, Tsukune, now faced with the trail of destruction in front of him, thought it was just a waste of time. The spirit now looked like it was sulking.

" Well, no matter. It's best we hurry after Moroha before he gets too far away."

**"Agreed."**

With that, Tsukune and the spirit hurried along the path.

* * *

"...and that is the report, Shuryō***** Saizou."

Moroha bowed his head as he knelt on one knee, while his boss, the Shuryō Saizou, examined the Holy Lock. He was a giant yet slim man-spirt with shoulder-length brown hair and dark brown eyes.

"Hmm... This Holy Lock will most likely lead them back to me, that itself is good. I will prove my worth by defeating that usurper boy and claiming the Shinso*, one of the greatest of the vampiric spirits, as my own." Saizou looked to Moroha. "After we have retrieved the spirit, you may do as you wish with the boy."

Moroha smiled with grim satisfaction.

"That would be perfect sir."

Saizou laughed.

"Now Kawari*****, get the troops ready." He said to a man wearing a hunting cap.

"Yes sir!" was the response as Kawari left. Saizou turned back to Moroha.

"Now," Saizou's long tongue began to lick his lips with anticipation. "Shall we give this boy a welcoming?"

* * *

Tsukune dashed into a camp clearing at the end of the trail of destruction. Standing in the center of the clearing was a group of about ten Ryōshi. At the head of him was a tall and slim man with shoulder-length brown hair. Next to him were Moroha, and a Ryōshi wearing a hunter's cap.

"So you guys are going to meet me face to face huh?" Tsukune asked.

"Yeah," answered the brown-haired spirit as the other members made a wide circle around him. "My name is Saizou Komiya. I'm the captain of this little band and you have something I want. You will die, I will take it from you. Now, lets begin."

Saizou snapped his fingers as all the group members except for the hunter cap wearing one and Moroha transformed. Various body parts stretched out and shaped into claws or weapons. Saizou spoke again.

"We are known as the Outcast. Spirits whose blood is so mixed that we have become a separate species entirely. Starting from now on, we will get the Shinso and become recognized by all as the strongest of the spirits. Now, hand it over." Saizou snapped his fingers again and the group of spirits surrounding him attacked. Tsukune disappeared and reappeared behind them.

"So, slow. Are you guys just grunts then?" Tsukune asked. To him, they were all moving slowly, so he just dashed, weaving between the spirits, to escape.

**"The reason for this is probably because the ****Ryōshi, Akudama, must have been high up on the hierarchy of strength in this group. For you to keep up with him, and beat him, while wielding only part of my power means that you currently posses a significant strength and speed advantage over most of the group here."**

"Hmm. Then that means I can beat them with ease." Tsukune said as he dashed back towards the group of Outcast. The group, turning around to charge at Tsukune again, suddenly bowled over and fell to the ground as Tsukune ran past them. Tsukune stopped running and looked towards Saizou and the other two once the group had all been knocked to the ground.

"By the way, my name is Tsukune Aono. Who's next?"

The Outcast with the hunter's cap stepped forward before he was stopped by Saizou.

"I'll face him and get the Shinso out of him. I will show Midou how worthy I am of the title of Outcast."

Moroha started to argue.

"Hey what about me. I still want revenge for Akudama!"

"You will get it when I'm done with..." A gust of wind rushed past Saizou as he turned to face Moroha, only to see him flying head first at him.

"What the hell?" Saizou dodged as Moroha crashed head first into a tree. Where Moroha once was, Tsukune now stood, the Holy Lock in his hand, and emitting an ominous a strong, ominous aura. Saizou patted his pocket.

"When did you...?"

"Just now, when I rushed past you to hit Moroha back for cutting me down in the cave." Tsukune interrupted.

"Dammit, Kawari!" Saizou turned to the Outcast only to find him not there.

"If you're looking for the hunter-hat guy, he's over there." Tsukune quipped

The Outcast in question was hanging from one the trees by his now long arms.

"Sorry, Saizou, but it looks like this operation is a failure. It failed the moment Tsukune got that Holy Lock. Later!" With that, Kawari swung away using the tree branches as hand holds.

"Shit! He's gone back to report to Midou!" Saizou turned to chase after Kawari only to be blocked by Tsukune.

"You forgot something, Saizou."

Saizou punched Tsukune in the face. Tsukune crashed into a tree while Saizou slowly walked towards him.

"You, you damn motherfucker. You frickin' fucked up my chances scoring one with Midou only for what? For you to turn out as a pathetically weak piece of shit." Saizou stood over Tsukune as his form started to grow and twist out of shape. Soon, Saizou stood around nine feet tall with a bulky body covered in spikes and plating. His long tongue licked his lips ad he glowered down at Tsukune who was trying to get up. Saizou stomped on Tsukune's spine, until a crunch was sounded. Tsukune coughed up blood while Saizou smirked.

"Don't get up just yet. I'm gonna make you pay. I will break you, and I will end you. And then, I'll take that Holy Lock and become recognized by Midou."

With that, Saizou lifted Tsukune's body and punched it repeatedly in the face. Each sickening blow, bloodied Tsukune's face until he had lost consciousness and his face had been disfigured beyond recognition. Then, Saizou tossed the unconscious boy at another tree. Saizou walked towards Tsukune. Saizou picked up Tsukune and smashed him to the ground a couple of times before throwing him at yet another tree. This process continued a few more times until Tsukune was barely breathing.

"What's wrong Tsukune? Cat got your tongue?" Saizou laughed as he picked up Tsukune and bludgeoned him again.

**"Ku-kukuku..."**

"What the..." Saizou stopped punching and let go of Tsukune as he watched miasma start to wrap around the bloody pulp that was Tsukune. The mass of darkness rose from the ground and stood up as more laughter could be heard before the smoke finally dissipated. In place of near-dead Tsukune was a different person who was very alive. It was a spirit, clothed in darkness. His hair spiked on one side while the other hid part of his face behind inky-black hair, while Saizou could also see the long pointed ears. The Holy Lock dangled freely in the spirit's clenched, right fist. A single, crimson-colored, slit-pupiled eye stared at Saizou with such intent that he involuntarily stepped back.

_"This pressure, it feels stronger than Midou. Probably even stronger than 'him',"_Saizou supposed. Saizou trembled in fear. _"So this is the power of a Shinso."_

The spirit cracked its neck and stretched its body in various positions. Finally it pointed at Saizou and spoke up.

**"I'm thirsty... Do you have anything to drink?"**

Saizou licked his lips nervously as he stepped back slightly. The spirit rushed towards Saizou and stopped about a meter from him.

**"What's wrong Saizou?" **the darkness spirit asked, suddenly saying Saizou's name. **"Cat got your tongue?" **

The darkness spirit held out his hand, covered with shadows, holding a long, pink object.

**"Never mind. It seems like I've got it."**

Saizou stared in horror at his now horribly disfigured tongue, blood squirting out while traces of darkness still receded from it, as the pain registered in his mind. He had chance to think a quick, _"When did he-,"_ before screaming in the agony of having his tongue ripped off. Saizou then fell to the ground, screaming again, as dark tendrils appearing from his own shadow, grabbed and broke both of his knees.

**"Now, now. We can't have you laying on the ground now can we?" **the spirit said as more tendrils picked Saizou off the ground and brought him in front of the spirit's face. **"We need you facing us as we slowly rip you apart and drain your essence like how you planned to do to me, no?"**

Saizou shook his head furiously before the tendrils wrapped around his arms broke those too. Then, he screamed a noise so wrenching it could be mistaken for that of a demon. The darkness spirit, more like a true demon than ever, smiled chillingly.

**"You must not be used to pain, Saizou, for We have seen worse than this. Whether it was during a healing from injuries treated by Father, or by the battles we had constantly fought in all those years ago, or by what you just inflicted on us right now, We have seen and felt worse pain then yours."**

Saizou, still screaming, was crying now from the intense pain as the tendrils tightened around him, breaking several ribs. The spirit smiled a bone-chilling smile again and the tendrils lifted Saizou high into the air.

**"Feel the pain you have inflicted to the max." **The spirit lowered his stance with his arms held slightly behind him as large amounts of darkness concentrated around his hands.

**"Eiba no..."**

Saizou visibly struggled against his bonds, but the tendrils did not budge.

**"Kyōfū!_*_"**

The spirit quickly pointed his hands at Saizou as thousands of shadowy blades rushed at Saizou in a whirlwind, effectively cutting him to shreds. Before he could even scream, all that was left was a red mist and bloody chunks of his leftover body. The tendrils lowered the bloody remains to the darkness spirit's face. Ravenously, the spirit bit into the remains and started slurping. When it was sucked dry of all blood, he consumed the remains.

**"Still so...thirsty..." **The spirit mumbled as he looked around the field only to see the group of spirits, Tsukune had knocked out earlier. Licking his smiling, bloodstained lips, the spirit rushed towards the pile of bodies. Loud screams were shortly followed.

* * *

"Ugh..." Moroha moaned as he slowly got up from his contorted position in the partly destroyed tree he had crashed into, rubbing his head. The Outcast raised his head and instantly regretted it. All he saw in front of him was the destroyed camp and the bloody remains of what was left over. Sitting in the center of it all on a rock, was a person that Moroha didn't recognize. He recognized the ears that marked him as spirit, but other than that nothing else. He had long, black hair. One side was spiked to the side while the other covered the right of his face with his bangs. He wore black shoes, black pants and trench coat that were frayed, and completed the look with a long, black, tattered scarf. The one eye he could see glowed crimson. The spirit seemed to be regarding him with a bored look. Next to him, he recognized Tsukune laying unconscious next to him. Moroha looked back at the spirit as realization dawned on him on who the spirit was.

"You're the Shinso, aren't you?" he asked. The Shinso nodded.

"Are you going to kill me like you did the other?"

**"Not right now. I'm full and Tsukune is uninjured due to my power, so I'm no longer in my berserker state* and no longer have a reason to harm you now. That is, unless you want to fight, of course." **The Shinso said something like that. Moroha nodded his head. The Shinso was a Vampire after all. He must have fed on the others when he was unconscious. He looked to the ground and grit his teeth. Looks like he was the only survivor.

**"So, Moroha." **Moroha looked up at the Shinso.

"Yes?"

**"Who's this Midou I've been hearing so much about? Saizou spoke his name a lot when he tried to kill us."**

_'That confirms it. Saizou's dead,_' thought Moroha. Feeling like he would lose nothing as he would probably be killed later by Midou, Moroha answered.

"He's the leader of our section of Outcasts. Together, with other sections, we are known as Anti-Thesis. Our goal. Pretty much to reclaim Sosen*****."

The Shinso nodded.

**"The Ancestral Plane, huh. That explains why you were trying to get me. Unfortunately, I have no reason to go there right now."**

"I see." Moroha turned to leave at that, but stopped and looked back.

"I'm still going to kill you two. I gotta get revenge for Akudama you know."

The Shinso smiled. Moroha shivered.

**"I look forward to that. Make sure to get stronger, Moroha."**

Moroha nodded, before dashing off into the forest. A few minutes later Tsukune started to come to. The moment he was fully awake, he jumped up and away from the Shinso.

"Who are you?" Tsukune asked the spirit.

**"I'm Mr. Spirit. Remember me?" **The Shinso chuckled before holding up the Holy Lock. Seeing that and recognizing the spirits voice, Tsukune relaxed. He then looked around at all the blood that littered the area.

"What happened? Did I go berserk or something?"

**"Close. I went into a Berserker State and massacred most of those here."**

Tsukune looked back at the spirit in confusion.

"Most? Who escaped?"

**"Kawari and Moroha. The former escaped after you knocked out Moroha. Moroha managed to escape due to me filling up on the others and losing the urge to kill."**

"I see. Wait, fill up?"

**"Yes, fill up. What I am is a vampiric spirit, a Vampire. You have heard of them before, correct."**

Tsukune nodded his head. His father had a habit of talking about the spirits he had met on any of his various journeys and the vampiric ones were mentioned once or twice. From what he knew, Vampires were one of the rarest of the spirits, one of the strongest, and tended to ignore others as long as they were left alone. They also drank blood as a way to survive and tended to become highly irritated if interrupted from a meal. Fortunately, most of them tended to only hunt in secluded areas or had people voluntarily give blood to them, so there was little trouble.

**"Basically, when you were knocked unconscious and left on the brink of death, I finished absorbing the rest of my powers from the Holy Lock by making a temporary full contract with you. As you were near-dead and I, after returning to my body for the first time in who knows how many thousands of years, was incredibly hungry and, more importantly, thirsty, my instinct for survival kicked in and I entered the Berserker State, massacring the other spirits and Saizou to satiate my... bodily needs."**

Tsukune could guess what the spirit meant by bodily needs. That would certainly explain all the blood, guts, and dismembered remains around the clearing. Then a thought occurred to Tsukune.

"Hey, Mr. Spirit! You never did tell me your name. All I know is that Saizou and the others kept on calling you Shinso. Why is that.?"

The spirit thought for a moment before answering.

**"To answer your question," **he began. **"I don't have a name. To be exact, I have no memory of even having one, nor can I remember anything else up to a few moments after I was sealed in the Holy Lock. As for why they called me 'Shinso', that is even more vague. All I know is that the name is a part of me. Why, however, I don't know."**

Tsukune thought about what he just heard and came to a conclusion.

"Hey, Mr. Spirit!" The spirit looked up at that. "How about I just call you Shinso for now until we get your memories back."

**"That could work for the time... Did you say 'we'?"**

Tsukune nodded.

"I've decided. Since we came this far anyway, Shinso, let's make a contract. I'll help you return your memories and you help me become stronger. Deal?"

The spirit looked shocked. Then, slowly he smiled and nodded.

**"Deal."**

Standing up, Shinso held the Holy Lock towards Tsukune. Tsukune, familiar with contracting procedures due to his father grabbed it and began to chant.

"Oh, Seal of the Heavens...

Become My Gateway to the World of Shadow...

Unlock the Power Flowing Inside You...

And Take Me to the Level Beyond the Black Night Sky!"

A bright light enveloped the Holy Lock as it and Shinso transformed into particles and spread along Tsukune's right arm. The teen held his breath as a searing pain went through his arm down to his hand where a contract seal was forming. It took on the shape of a circle with a cross shaped hole over a sideways crescent moon. Behind that were two crossed swords on top of the magic circle commonly seen on contract seals. Eventually the pain settled down and the Holy Lock re-materialized on Tsukune's arm while Tsukune sighed in relief. He had finally managed to contract a spirit. A powerful one at that too. His father would be proud. Then darkness flowed out of the lock and shaped itself back into Shinso. Tsukune smiled and held out his hand to his new partner.

"Hey. I'm Tsukune Aono, a priest-in-training, I guess. I may not be the strongest person alive, but I promise I'll help you get back your memories."

The vampiric spirit looked at the teen's outstretched hand, smiled, and shook it.

**"For now, I guess you can call me Shinso. If we're going to be partners, then I'll help you out in whatever you get up to, and help you to become stronger, just make sure you hold your end of the deal, k?"**

Tsukune smiled.

"Promise."

Then he frowned.

"Now that we're official partners and all, do you know how to get to Eiyū? I kinda lost sight of the main road during this whole fiasco."

Shinso narrowed his eyes.

**"How am I supposed to know? I've been sealed for the past 5,000 years. Locations are bound to be different now then they were back then."**

"You've been sealed that long? Then why haven't you been speaking like in one of those ancient plays Father likes reading all the time?"

**"Ancient plays? If you're talking about those crappy opera works, that way of speaking died about a thousand years before I was born."**

"Really?" Tsukune exclaimed in surprise. The things he would do to see the look on his father's face when he told him that, made him elated. "Anyway, let's try heading back to the cave. We might be able to find the path from there."

"I guess you'll finally be able to put those tracking skills I taught you to use now."

"Great..." Tsukune sighed as the pair started walking towards the cave and the beginning of their adventure.

* * *

***Notes:**

**1. Spirit Church = A place where people offer rituals to the divine spirits**

**2. Seinaru = Holy**

**3. Seichi = Holy Land**

**4. Eiyū = Hero**

**5. Spirit Council = The leaders of the Spirit Churches made up of six Soul Knights and their spirits.**

**6. Ryōshi = spirit child ~ for story purposes its spirit boy/girl and can refer to all ages.**

**7. Akudama = Black Hat (joke on how he's always wearing a black hat in the manga and since his real name is never spoken.)**

**8. Outcast = Reference to the Outcast Ayashi/Monstrel from Rosario + Vampire**

**9. Kuroi keshigomu = ****Black Eraser; An orb of darkness forms in the hand before it expands and blasts towards the target, obliterating it and the surrounding area**

******10. Shuryō = Boss**

******11. Shinso = An extremely powerful vampire spirit. Details will be added in the story later on.**

******12. Kawari = Deputy**

******13. Eiba no Kyōfū = Gale of the Shadowy Blades; thousands of three-foot long shadowy blades blast at the target effectively slicing to ribbons anything and everything in range**

******14. Berserker State = What Shinso gets into when he is extremely thirsty and Tsukune is on the brink of death; Incredible OP-ness activated followed by slaughter in this mode when against those weaker than, or as strong as him.**

* * *

******Author's Note: Hello guys, and here's the next chapter of Tairiku: The Land of Souls! Personally I believe the ending could have been better, but I don't know how I could have pulled it off without making it worse. Oh well. As this story is a massive AU Crossover Fanfic, the first few chapters will introduce the major characters that will be gathering together later in the story in an arc I'd like to call the First Journeys Arc. This one was Tsukune's chapter. The next one will be a secret. However, it does involve dragons. Until my next update, later! ~DragonKing0117**

******Next Chapter: The Orphaned Thief**


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